You blink and the kids are back in school. Your house is still a mess, and you’ve yet to figure out how to make life feel less crazy. Don’t worry: you’re not alone. Back-to-school time brings lots of change and, of course, some family chaos. Here are three simple key ways to manage back-to-school time and make life run a little bit more smoothly:
1. Prep for the week ahead
The easiest way to own your week is to plan ahead for it. Know what’s coming your way and just how you are going to tackle it is a key way to manage your time. Schedule a time during your weekend to plan for the week ahead. Start with planning all the personal things from when you are going to workout to who’s picking up who and making sure everyone is aware of all the activities happening that week. While digital calendars and phones tend to run our lives these days, having an actual wall or desk calendar can be life-changing. Creating a full command center can help keep your day-to-day going.
While meal prep can feel daunting and overwhelming, it’s a huge time saver for the week ahead and helps keep you and your family on healthy eating habits. Simple things you can do for the week ahead is cut fruits and veggies for the week and pack them in clear containers for easy sight and reach. Have easy access to proteins and healthy snack options, too. Meal planning and shopping for the entire week is the way to make your life just a little less wild. Know what you can make for dinner each night or plan what you are eating each night. Any way to make your week days run just a little bit smoother is worth it!
2. Establish Routines
Whether we want to admit it or not, we all crave routine. We are creatures of habit, and a routine is just that: a habit waiting to happen! By figuring out what a routine is going to look like, you create habits into your home. The simplest way to break it down is morning routines, nightly routines, parent routines, and kid routines:
Morning Routine Checklist
[]Wake-up time
[]Getting dressed
[]Making breakfast
[]Eating breakfast
[]Preparing lunch
[]Water bottles
[]Snacks
[]Packing bags with everything that is needed for the day
[]Making beds
[]Showering
[]Brushing teeth
[]Doing your hair
[]Get appropriate clothing for temperature outside
After School Checklist
[]Empty backpack
[]Hang coats/clothing
[]Put shoes away
[]Put all school materials where they belong
[]Place homework in the homework spot
[]Unpack lunch
[]Put lunch box away
[]Snack
[]Exercise
[]Do school work
Night Time Checklist
[]Pack/plan lunches for next day
[]Unplug from technology
[]Layout clothes for next day
[]Shower/bath
[]Brush teeth
[]Read
[]Go to sleep
3. Create responsibilities for everyone
Make sure everyone has their own set of responsibilities. Kids’ responsibilities are key to a truly independent household. We are all trying to raise good humans, and having responsibilities comes into play with being a good human. The above checklist is a great place to stay for all responsibilities in a household. Making sure everything has a place and there is an adult following through truly creates a perfect harmony!
Finding harmony in a busy household is possible. Just start small, and grow from there.
